Dolan goal crucial as Cavan return to Lidl NFL Division 2 final with victory over Waterford

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 2 semi-final

Cavan 1-8
Waterford 0-8

From Rory Noonan in Birr

CAVAN are through to a second successive Lidl National Football League Division 2 final following their victory over group table-toppers Waterford at St Brendan’s Park in Birr today.

A goal, four minutes into the second-half, was the crucial score for the winners who will now face Tipperary in the final on May 6 at Parnell Park.

Playing with the strong wind it was no great surprise to see Cavan, beaten finalists against Westmeath last year,  take the lead, with Aisling Doonan scoring inside the first minute and Sheridan adding a second to double their lead.

Waterford had a chance to pull a point back, but Eimear Fennell will be annoyed with herself, when her shot from a free, from in front of the posts, went wide.

Sheridan got her second, to make it 0-3 to no score, with seven minutes gone, before Waterford had another wide, this time Geraldine Power’s effort taken outside the post by the wind.

Doonan added a fourth for Cavan, before corner-back, Rachel Doonan, made a great block at the other end to deny Lauren McGregor a goal with 13 minutes gone.

Waterford eventually got off the mark, with 20 minutes gone, when Maria Delahunty, pointed with Aisling Doonan replying at the other end, to make it 0-5 to 0-1.

With three minutes to half-time Cavan were thankful to their keeper, Evelyn Baugh, when she made a great double save, first denying Geraldine Power and then Fennell.

But two late points from Waterford, a free from Delahunty and a great point from McGregor, after some good work by Power, put only two between them at half-time, 0-5 to 0-3.

Now with the wind Waterford quickly reduced that to a single point, when Fennell pointed straight from the re-start, but all credit to Cavan they weren’t going to be beaten easily.

Playing some magnificent football through the hands against the wind, they put two between them again when captain, Sinead Greene, led by example to point.

With 34 minutes gone they got the vital goal, when Catherine Dolan burst forward beat several players to be clean through on goal. It looked like she lost possession at one stage but somehow she managed to regain control of the ball find the back of the net, to make it 1-6 to 0-4.

A killer blow to Waterford and one they never really recovered from, despite their best efforts.

It certainly wasn’t for want of trying and three pointed frees from Delahunty, made it 0-7 to 1-6, with 40 minutes gone.

Again Cavan just kept the scoreboard ticking over, with Aisling Doonan and Sheridan replying at the other end.

Waterford kept piling forward in search of scores, but Green and Laura Fitzpatrick marshalled the Cavan defence to keep them at bay.

Liz Devine got the last score of the tie for Waterford, but it was little more  than a consolation score at that stage as Cavan deservedly march on to the final.

Scorers for Cavan: C Dolan 1-0, A Doonan 0-4 (1f), B Sheridan 0-3, S Greene 0-1.

Waterford: M Delahunty 0-5 (4f), L McGregor, E Fennelly, L Devine 0-1 each.

CAVAN: E Baugh; R Doonan, L Fitzpatrick, J Moore; S Greene, M Sheridan, N Byrd; C Dolan, D English; G McGlade, B Sheridan, A Sheridan; R O’Keeffe, A Doonan, C Finnegan.

Subs: C Smith for C Finnegan, S O’Sullivan for R O’Keeffe, A Cornyn for A Sheridan.

WATERFORD: G Kenneally; K McGrath, M McGrath, R Casey; M Wall, K Corbett, M Dunford; K McGrath, K Murray; A Murray, G Power, L McGregor; M Delahunty, E Fennell, A Wall.

Subs: S Ryan for L McGregor, K A Hogan for A Murray, L Devinc for E Fennell.

Ref: G McMahon, Mayo.

 

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